An intellectual of great refinement… the quintessence,
the epitome of her era… Lotte Eisner in The Haunted Screen
Another dramatic change of look for Asta in The Queen
of the Stock Exchange, Nielsen plays Helene Netzler and has two kiss curls framing
her face making her almost unrecognisable from the two other characters she’d
played tonight at the BFI. That’s not all though as Helene runs a mining
business and is clearly at home in the very male world of both mining and the
stock exchange. This is a fascinating character and I wonder how this would
have seemed to a European audience at the time who had grown more used to women
at work during the Great War. It’s a nod back to her character in Die
Suffragette (1913), a proto feminist who may or may not be happy settling
down to have babies.
Here Asta has achieved the parity once dreamt of and she
is in charge of almost every aspect of her life. Directed and written by Edmund
Edel, it’s clear that Asta called the shots in terms of the films she wanted to
make, even before the establishment of her own production company in 1920.
Helene’s company is running out of coal though and she’s in trouble until one
of her engineers, Lindholm (Aruth Wartan) spots a new seam that might just save
them.
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| Asta in Man's World |
The initial investigation is encouraging and so Helene
plays the market and buys up most of her own stock at rock bottom prices in
order to make a killing when the news is confirmed. Whilst providing comment on
the capitalist greed that would become an increasing issue in Europe, this
shows a woman being a ruthless as men and Asta is imperious. She even promises
Lindholm co-ownership if the seam is as valuable as he thinks and there’s a
clear sexual frisson there as well… the thrill of the power.
Things work out and Lindholm is promoted but not
everything in Helene’s life can be controlled… she has employed her poor cousin
Lina as a domestic and the young woman catches Lindholm’s eye. As the two are
drawn together Helene’s jealousy knows no bounds and she engineers the most
awful revenge even after Lina has left.
What use are my riches if the one who was dearest to me is dead?
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| Asta with the workers |
This is the most overtly political of the films shown so
far and it’s interesting that this one dates from May 1918, the tide was
turning and anti-capitalist sentiment was on the up as Russia revolted and the
cost of war became ever clearer. The film’s conclusion, as Helene’s grief is
played out amongst scenes of dozens of mine workers running to assist after an
accident at the mine, is very powerful and she ends up deciding that her
workers deserve full recompense for risking their lives in her business.
A different side to Asta…
From socialism to sublime silliness and proof that Asta
could goof about with the best of them. The Guinea Pig (Das
Versuchskaninchen) isn’t as funny or as polished as Der Eskimo Baby
but Asta does a good job with a very odd story which includes some
cringe-worthy references to mental health – a century being a long time in
psychiatry.
Directed again by Edmund Edel, the film finds Asta who was 32, playing
a teenager called Jesta who is low on attention span and high on energy constantly
frustrating her father (Alfred Kuehne) and coming between him and his fiancée.
Amazingly, Jesta has a love of her own, played by Fred Immler who seems normal
enough but clearly likes her sense of humour.
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| Asta menaces her future step mother... |
Tiring of been worn down by his daughter’s constant
comedy, Dad decides to send her off to a strict school but, due to various
mishaps, she ends up at a lunatic asylum where the doctor quickly diagnoses
insanity and proceeds to try and treat her using the modern of methods
including electric shock treatment and a padded cell. It’s largely not funny
anymore but still interesting to see Asta playing in a weird kind of Mary
Pickford role.
Her fiancé comes to rescue her only to be also diagnosed
as insane before the telegram explaining it all is finally found. These things
happen…
Costas Fotopoulos provided sprightly accompaniment for
both films and kept a straight face for the finances and the “loony tunes…
there was more than enough going on there anyway. Again, Asta dominates the
attention so much you wonder what impact this has on the playing; with both accompanists
today, there was a deep blend with the narrative that showed how sure footed
Nielsen’s performances were and how hard it is to not watch/play along with,
her every move.
The Asta Nielsen season continues apace through to March,
full details are on the BFI site.
There are delicious tints for The Queen of the Stock Exchange and, of course, once again, Asta wears the trousers...
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